Carnaval in Cádiz

I (second from right) make some new friends at Carnaval.

On Saturday night at 9 p.m., hundreds of frivolous youths--Spanish and American alike--dolled up in ridiculous costumes hopped on buses destined for Cádiz.  Cádiz is an Andalusian port city an hour and a half south of Seville, known for its beautiful beaches and for its annual week-long celebration of Carnaval.  Carnaval started off as a religious celebration before Lent, the forty day period leading up to Easter, in which Christians celebrated their festive season.  Carnaval derives from carne, meaning "meat" in Latin, since Lent used to be marked by Christian abstention from eating meat as well as abstention from general festivities.  Anyway, now Carnaval has evolved into an immense celebration filled with masked merrymakers, parades, singing and public street parties.  Cádiz boasts one of the most famous Carnaval celebrations in the world, shutting down the city center during the night for a week straight.  I got the chance to experience Carnaval in Cádiz firsthand.

The crowded, decorated streets of Cádiz bustle with energy.

Dressed as one of "The Blues Brothers" (paying homage to the 1980 film starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd), I arrived at Cádiz to find the streets cluttered with jubilant adolescents and adults all donning outlandish attire.  I saw superheroes, pirates, princesses and even the entire cast of "The Flintstones" with their very own Flintstones' foot-car!  The spirit of the night was infectious as even the most timid party-goers became amiable extroverts in mere moments.  The entire celebration was simply a huge botellón session, with people drinking wine and beer in the streets, dancing, laughing and chatting with colorful characters.  The bars and restaurants were closed, but everyone was able to get their fix for the night due to the large number of street vendors offering everything from hot sandwiches to fried fish.  At the behest of my friend, I split a portion of cazón, fried school shark.  My trip to Cádiz was unforgettable and I boarded the bus home at 5:30 a.m. reveling in the night's events.  For me, Carnaval in Cádiz seemed like a Spanish version of New Orleans famous Mardi Gras celebration and I was happy to take part in the night's festivities.